#MediaMonday – Bethany Blundell
Every Monday, HMA introduces you to a member of the media – the new and the seasoned – that keep our local and national news gears turning. Today we hear from Bethany Blundell, reporter at the Maricopa Monitor, new resident of Arizona and someone who loves (or needs) coffee as much as I do!
Bethany just moved to Arizona about a month ago from Las Cruces, N.M. She was formerly a freelance reporter for the Las Cruces Sun-News and What’s Up Pub, an entertainment and lifestyle publication in El Paso, Texas. She has her bachelor of arts from New Mexico State University where she triple majored in Journalism/Mass Communications, Communication Studies and Spanish.
In her free time, Bethany enjoys hiking. She is excited for the weather to cool down so she can hit some of the popular Phoenix trails. She also loves traveling, and has visited 23 countries across four continents. Her favorite country is Peru because the culture is rich, the food is amazing and it is home to Machu Picchu (which she got to hike).
So, Bethany, time to share!
What do you want to tell the blogosphere about yourself today?
I am one of those lucky few people who have always known what they wanted to do, and I have lived and breathed journalism for as long as I can remember – I worked at my first newspaper as a reporter when I was 15 years old! One thing that keeps me so intrigued and passionate about this field is its unpredictability. Every day in journalism is different. I can interview a popular band one day and test military equipment the next day. A lot of that unpredictability is attributed to the environment you’re in, which is one of the reasons why I love my new beat.
The City of Maricopa is relatively small (population: about 47,000), but it is the fastest growing city in Pinal County. Because of that, there is always something going on — the good, the bad and the ugly. Adding to that, the residents of Maricopa care about their community more than most other cities I’ve encountered. They are invested in knowing the inner-workings of the city, and always come to aid when someone is in need. This makes what I write about an interesting balance of hard news, feature, sports and politics.
Granted, covering an entire city is a big job. A large portion of my paycheck goes to coffee because I need a steady flow of caffeine to get me through those 12+ hour days. But I thrive in this type of atmosphere, and I’m looking forward to continuing to pursue this career.
